Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2001

From: Abigail Stamm

Subject: Dzenza, or Preservice Training

20 November 2001

The joys of teaching, or trying to teach, during a strike I calculated Friday, the last day of school this year, that I only taught about three weeks this term. Largely, it was because of the national teachers' strike. I was only told part of the teachers' grievances. First, many of them were often paid as much as a month late. Second, those who had invigilated (proctored) national exams last year had never been paid. Third, His Excellency, the President, Dr Bakili Muluzi (the phrase used on the radio and TV to introduce him) had promised the teachers a raise, but it never materialized. Fourth, Muluzi retracted his promise and said instead that only teachers in the cities would get a raise. However, teachers can be transferred anywhere at random, depending on the whims of the Ministry of Education, and feel it is unfair that they can be transferred to the city and make on average MK6000 per month, then be transferred to a village two hours from tarmac, phone, or services and make MK3000 per month. That's still very little, just under $100 and $50 respectively. I am told it is that high only because of the weakened economy Stateside and the money SADC (Southern African Development Community) was pumping into the country over the summer.

I briefly mentioned back in September that my school was on strike for a couple weeks. I tried to teach. The students still came to school, but with only about four teachers attending class, most students left early. At first, they left right after second break, about noon. Then they left after first break, about 9:30 am. Maybe 25% of students stopped coming at all. I taught approximately half of my classes. The other half were cancelled for lack of students. In class, the students who came were glad to be taught, but rowdy from lack of structure. They weren't quite sure what was expected of them. I did very little teaching in class. My primary function, I think, was to help keep the students who stayed at school occupied. They came to the lab for different reasons. Some wanted something to do. Some wanted help with classwork. Some wanted help with English and writing. Some wanted to learn how to type. Some wanted to use the lab equipment. Some just wanted attention and encouragement. I filled my time by helping students or typing the Form 4 mock exams that would help the students prepare for the national exams. When the teachers were paid for the month and started teaching again, I thought that was the end. I taught for a week.

Then I went to Dedza at the end of the first week of October for a weekend to help welcome the new trainees. Afterward, I went to Lilongwe for medical. I had planned to be there for the day, but was stuck doing blood tests. At least I am over my needle-phobia now. Evan came Tuesday. When I asked him about his school, he told me that our entire area, Balaka, Zomba, Machinga, and Mangochi districts were all on strike as of Monday. By the time I returned to site, I was hardly there for a day before returning to Dedza. Two weeks later, when I had finished my duties at training, I called my school. Madam Kunda answered the phone and informed me that she was the only teacher at school. Since she is not an administrator, I was confused. She told me no one was allowed at school while the MSCE national Form 4 exams were in session, so if I went back, I would just sit at home with nothing to do. She told me we were not holding classes elsewhere like many schools since the teachers were still on strike. All the students except Form 4 had been sent home.

I returned a week later, on the last day of exams. The next day, no students came to school. I sat with some of the teachers (those who came) under the big acacia tree in the middle of the cluster of buildings. They taught me a little of the folklore of Malawi, what they could remember. Many said, "I learned that as a child, but I don't remember anymore" or "I have forgotten that. Since I am educated now, I know it is just silly superstitions." On Saturday, some of the primary school teachers returned from a meeting in Balaka. They told us the DEO (District Education Officer) had ordered all teachers back to school on Monday. The students would be notified by radio to return to school. I was away the first part of the week, but left assignments that my students never did. The teachers did teach, more or less, and about half of the students returned to class. On Wednesday I returned to school in the afternoon to learn that the students who were back had gone home at lunchtime. I taught a review class on Thursday, then gave my exam on Friday. The students had forgotten their notebooks, were not in uniform, came to school late. After months without class, I expected that my students would do poorly. One passed. Because the final mark is almost entirely dependent on the final exam marks and I did not want to fail many of the students, I curved the scores. About 25% passed. I know it is partly because of the strike, but many of the students have poor study skills and little if any academic support from their families. Since it costs over $10 a term to send a student to school, I am surprised that many students do not take school seriously and do not care if they pass or fail. Since English is still a problem, many students, especially girls, become too frustrated and lose interest in class.

No one knows now if the strike will affect the start of school next year. It was finally called off when it was declared unconstitutional. Apparently there is only one teachers' union recognized in the country. It is the only one that can start a teachers' strike among its members. It was not involved in the strike. The teachers have been threatened, but their grievances have not been addressed. I suspect the anger will cool off by January, as Malawians are for the most part very passive. But I don't know.

Time to go. I'll continue next year if necessary.

Abby